Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Tenicia Spence.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Holy Family put six players in double figures and shot 52.3 percent from the floor to defeat the Wilmington University women's basketball team, 93-78, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division action on Saturday afternoon at eh Campus Center.
The Wildcats (8-10, 3-6 CACC) led for the majority of the first quarter before the Tigers (13-5, 8-1 CACC) took over and led 20-16 at the buzzer. The Tigers continued to outscore the Wildcats, 27-16, in the second quarter and 22-14 in the third quarter to take as large as a 23-point lead. The Wildcats made a game of it in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to as few as seven-points, 81-74, but the Tigers were able to hang on down the stretch.
Macy Robinson gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the afternoon with a three-pointer, 10-6, with 6:16 left in the first quarter. The lead remained at four points as Jocelyn Rodriguez hit a jumper with 4:07, putting the Wildcats ahead 12-8.
Lindsay Bradford hit a jumper from Auryonah Nash to put the Wildcats back in front, 16-14, with 1:39 to play, but the Tigers ended the first quarter with a 6-0 run, taking the lead for good in the game.
Tenicia Spence hit a three-pointer early in the second quarter to keep the Wildcats close, 23-19, with 9:27 left in the stanza, but the home team rattled off a 9-0 run, opening the margin to double digits for the first time in the game, 32-19.
Zameria Jones, Rodriguez, Robinson, and Ebonee Dixon all converted consecutive buckets to bring the Wildcats to within 33-30, But the Tigers withheld the run and went on a 6-0 run of their own to reopen a 39-30 lead with 2:24 left in the half. The home team also went on an 8-0 run to end the quarter, getting a pair of three-pointers down the stretch to hold a 47-32 lead at the halftime break.
The Wildcats opened the fourth quarter on a 10-1 run to cut the deficit to 70-56, before another 9-2 run brought the Wildcats to within 10, 77-67 with 4:59 left in regulation.
Dixon and Spence hit back-to-back shots to get the game in single digits, at 79-71, and Spence hit her fourth three-pointer of the game with 3:23 to play to get the Wildcats to its slimmest margin, 81-74, since the second quarter.
But the Wildcats were only able to find the bottom of the next on two more occasions for the rest of the game, as the Tigers were able to hold off the Wildcats down the stretch for the CACC victory.
Spence led all scorers with 22 points, adding six steals and four assists as well. Ashri Broadwater came off the bench to secure a double-double, pouring in 18 points and adding a team high 13 rebounds.
The Tigers hit on 52.3 percent of their shots from the floor while also going 17-of-27 from the foul line. The Wildcats shot 37.1 percent from the floor while only making it to the foul line on eight occasions, making six.
The Wildcats return home for their next two CACC contests, as they host Georgian Court on Wednesday for another CACC South Division doubleheader. The Wildcats and Lions square off starting at 6:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.